History of Humboldt County, California : with illustrations descriptive of its scenery, farms, residences, public buildings, factories, hotels, business houses, schools, churches, etc., from original drawings, including biographical sketches, Part 41

Author: W.W. Elliott & Co
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: San Francisco : W.W. Elliott
Number of Pages: 344


USA > California > Humboldt County > History of Humboldt County, California : with illustrations descriptive of its scenery, farms, residences, public buildings, factories, hotels, business houses, schools, churches, etc., from original drawings, including biographical sketches > Part 41


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48


ALEXANDER GILMORE.


'The residence of Mr. Alexander Gilmore, situated in the city of Eureka, is an ornament to the city and forms one of our illustrations. The owner, the subject of this sketch, was horn in St. George, New Brunswick. At the age of thirteen he was thrown on his own resources, but with only his hands as sole capital, he has succeeded, through thrift, energy, and hard toil, to secure a competency.


Ho left New Brunswick in 1850, on a bark which made the trip to Sau Francisco in about six months. The voyage was rough, but pleasant, and tho bark arrived safely at her destina- tion in Jnne, 1850.


Mr. Gilmoro went straightway to the mines, but had poor success, so in 1852 he directed his steps to this county where lie took up fino timber lands. He owns now 960 acres of good redwood timber land on Mad River and 240 acres on Jacoby Creek.


Mr. Gilmore is ono of the well-known men in this county, and is log surveyor for the county, appointed by the Super- visors, who put unlimited trust in him. He is married and has six chillren, four boys and two girls. His wife is also a native of New Brunswick. His children are uamed Daniel, Jennie, Carrie, Frederick, William and James Gilmore.


FRANKLIN Z. BOYNTON.


The subject of this sketch was born December 28, 1828, in tho town of Weathersfield, Winsor County, Vermont, and lived upon a large farm near Black River; remained upon the old homestead until 1846, then went to Boston, Massachusetts, and remained there until 1849.


February 3, 1849, sailed from Boston harbor in the bark Drummond for California, ri Cape Horn; in tifty days from time sho left Boston, made the harbor of Rio Janeiro, where he remained thirce weeks, and had the privilege of seeing the Emperor, Dom Pedro, his palace, Floral Gardens, and other public buildings. At Callao saw the ruins of the old city of Callao which was destroyed by an earthquake. Also, visited the City of Lima, and the famous cathedral built by Pazarro Emanuol.


In August, 1849, he arrived in San Francisco, and thien to Sac- rameuto, which was then a city of tents and framed buildings covered with cloth; from Sacramento went to a place then called Mormon Island, on the American River, where he engaged in mining for two or three months.


He was taken sick with lung fever and returned to San Francisco, where he remained until the spring of 1850, and


tben went to the old Mission of San Jose and rented land and farmed upon a small scale, raising mostly vegetables, whichi were sold in San Francisco in the fall, at the rate of twelvo and a half cents per pound for potatoes, fifty cents per head for cabbages, and other things proportionately high.


He tried farming in San Joaquin County, but the season proved too dry. He was there when the famous bandit and horse thief Joaquin was making liis raids; had all his stock stolen by him ; sold out in the fall and went to Crystal Spring Valley, in San Mateo County, where he was engaged in farmn- ing for five years. Being unable to secure a valid title to the land at that time, it being beld under a Spanish grant, lic aban- doned the place in 1857, and moved to Humboldt County and located on Ecl River Island, where he has followed the occupa- tion of farining to the present time.


His farını consists of 300 acres of rich bottom-land, situated hetween Ecl River and Salt River, bordering on Salt River. It is four miles from Ferndale, and nineteen from the county seat; the land is all level, the soil clay loam ; average crop of wheat, forty-five bushels per acre, higbest yield, eighty bushels; average crop of oats per acre, seventy-five bushels; highest yield, 130. He has 225 acres under cultivation, balance in pasture and timber. There are 500 fruit trees upon the place, consisting of apple, plum, pear, cherry, etc. He usually keeps twenty head of cattle, fifteen horses, fifty sheep, and seventy- five hogs.


He was married to Miss Emily Ann Kinneson February 7, 1856, have four children living, three boys and one girl, by this marriage, Rollin Dewan, Franklin Hiram, Cyrus Harvey, and Annie Harriet Boynton. His wife died February 9, 1876, and he again married May 10, 1877, Mrs. Malvina M. Morgan.


CHARLES F. ROBERTS.


C. F. Roberts is another of the prominent citizens of Eureka. and is Register of the United States Land Office at the pres- ent time. He was appointed such in January, 1872, re-ap- pointed February 15, 1876, and again February 15, 1880.


He is a man who has worked his way up in the world by his own energy and unaided efforts. At present he owns a farm of 3,500 acres, forty miles from Eurcka, and another of 1,360 acres within twenty miles. He raises stock on those farms, usually keeping forty head of cattle, 2,500 sheep, five horses and two mules. The land which is partly cultivated produces an average crop of oats, barley, potatoes and corn, and the orchard of 100 trees, a variety of fruit. His resi- dence (of which we have made an illustration) is in Eureka.


Mr. Roberts was born in Hartland, Somerset County, Maine, April 7, 1843. In his youth he attended sebool in the winter time and worked on the farm during the summer. In 1861 he enlisted in the Second Maine Regimeut to serve his country in tbe late civil war. In 1863, being honorably discharged from the army, be left Bangor, Maine, for New York, which


IST


BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF CITIZENS.


city he left the day of the great riot, June 13, 1863, for Cali- fornia. He came vio Panama, and arrived in San Francisco, August 12, 1863. In September of that year he went to Car- Hon City, where he was employed in a lumber yard.


In 1866 Mr. Roberts eame to this eounty and went to work as a cominon laborer, in the woods. Sinec that time he has risen to his present standing and is a valuable acquisition to the county,


In 1865 he was married to Miss Alceia J. Bragg, a native of Maine. They have three children named; Ida A., Guy L., and George Fred, Roberts:


THOMAS BAIR.


In the beautiful village of Arcatn, stands the pleasant home of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Bair, and their children, Thomas and Fred. Bair, The residence is finely situated aud constructed of modern stylo with neat yard and surroundings. It commands many fine viows of tho surrounding eouutry and Humboklt Bay ; Eureka can be seen in the distance.


Mrs. Bair was born January 1, 1854, her maiden name was Allio Boyse, she was married to Mr. Bair in 1876.


Mr. Bair was born September 26, 1844, he is a Missourian by birth, and was brought up on a farm, When nine years old he lost both his parents, and soon after eamo, vin Truekee route, out to California, in company with his unele, where he arrived at Red Bluff in the fall of 1855.


Mr. Bair was first engaged in paeking from Red Bluff to the mines, he afterwards resided in Idaho and Montana, and in the fall of 1867 located in Areata where he now resides.


Mr. Bair is proprietor of a storo at Fort Gaston, situated on the Klamath River, he also has a place of business in Areata. As he is still engaged in packing to the interior, he owns a fiue lot of paek-inules, 170 in number. It may be amusing aud interesting to our readers, to read a little deseription of sneh a train, we will therefore give a short sketeh of one. There are generally from twenty to fifty mnles in a train, it takes about one man to ten mules, and when everything is ready for a start it is highly amusing to see them loaded with goods of overy deseription. One mule is always used for earry- iug the cooking utensils and is called the " kitehen mule."


SAMUEL STRONG.


Mr. S. Strong is a native of Ohio, When four years old, in 1827, his parents moved to Illinois, where his father took au interest in the lead mines and erected a mill. Mr. Strong, Jr., stayed with his parents until 1850, and assisted his father in business, he then came across the continent, per mule and horse train to Placerville, where he arrived, after a three mouthis' journey, July 20, 1850. He miued at different places with poor suecess until 1853, when he came to this county, where he engaged in farming at different places uutil 1877, when he moved to his present home.


His wife, formerly Miss Maria G. Johnson, he married Oeto- ,


ber G, 1858; she is a native of New Hampshire ; they have one daughter, marriedl.


A BEAUTIFUL PLEASURE RESORT.


The readers of our book must not omit to look at the ilhis- tration representing a Humboldt County pleasure resort, of which Mr. Samuel Stroug is the enterprising proprietor.


The place comprises an aren of 426 aeres, it is situated ten miles from Hydesville and thirty-five miles from Eureka. The Overland Stage delivers and takes inail for Eureka and San Francisco daily. As a summer residenec for invalids and pleas. ure seckers it has no equal in the county. It is delightfully situated on the east side of Van Duzen River, np in the red- woods, above the fog belt, where fishing and hunting can be had in abundance. The house has a large parlor with organ. etc., and seventeen sleeping rooms.


The accommodations are first-elass, a very good table is set by the landlady, who supervises the cooking, and the traveler will always be welcomed by the landlord, Mr. Strong, who is ever willing and anxious to make it comfortable for his guests and their tenms. A fine orehard is attached to the groundls, where fruit of several kiuds can be had, it contains 100 trees, and shrubs for smaller fruits. The grounds which are beauti- fully laid out, are fixedl for eroqnet games, ete., and swings ean be found for the amusement of children.


EDWIN P. VANCE.


E. P. Vanee, born in New Brunswick, August 21, 1836, was raised on a form. When twenty-one years of age he concluded to go to California, and accordingly took passage and eame via New York and Panama direct, making the trip in thirty-one days. He arrived in San Francisco November 1, 1858, and in- tended to go to the mines, as there was a great gold excitement at the time on Frazer River, a second thought though in- ducedl him to come to Eureka instead, and to start a saw-mill there. He did so with good sueeess.


Iu 1861 Mr. Vanee returued to New Brunswick and stayed four years, during which time he married, in 1863, Miss Mary Welch, of New Brunswick. Their children are named Esther E., Louis J., George P., Charles E., Mary, and Kate Vanec.


Having once tried the elimate of California, he could not resist his desire again to settle therein, and in 1865 he eame again to Humboldt County, this time bringing his family with him. He settled where he lives now, within one-quarter of a mile of Table Bluff Post-othice, where he is engaged in farming.


His farm comprises 290 aeres, located within cleven muiles of the county svat, and is composed of loamy soil extending over valley and hills. The land will produce 75 bushels of barley and oats, 180 bushels of potatoes, 50 bushels of wheat, or 40 bushels of peas per aere.


He also owns an orchard of 300 trees, 14 head of cattle, 30 hogs, 12 horses and mules.


188


BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF CITIZENS.


LEONARD S. HICKS.


Within two miles of Ferndale is the home, farm and resi- idence of Mr. Leonard S. Hieks, who is a native of Vermont. Mr. Flicks came to this county April 8, 1854; be was first engaged as a mechanic, then went to the inines in October, 1855, where he worked for three years with good success; afterwards returned to Humboldt County and engaged in farming and stock raising for the last fifteen years, which he still follows.


His residence is pleasantly situated within one mile of Eel River, and four miles of the sea coast; He owns an orchard which yields all kinds of fruit and berries ; and land which will yield as much as 100 bushels of oats per acre, aud fifty bush- cls of wheat. The climate is one of the best in the State, tbe soil unsurpassed. The country is fine, forests of redwood abound, the hills offer splendid grazing grounds for the stock.


Mr. Ilicks is married; his wife is a native of New York; they have oue child named Leonard Hicks.


CLEMENT CHARTIN.


Not far from the Blue Lakes can be found the hotel and farm of Mr. Clement Chartin, a native of France. He is an energetie man, and has brought to bimself a comfortable living by a closo attention to business, hard work, and good judgment.


Mr. Chartin was born January 2, 1827. His parents were poor, and were obliged to make him work hard from the time he was twelve years old. He worked on the farm until lie was twenty-three years old, living mostly on black bread of that country. He desired to see the world, and went to work as porter in a wholesale house for three years, then to Paris, where he worked as coachman for four years, then worked ten years for an English family; then traveled through most parts of Europe.


He next went to Egypt on the Suez Canal, where he kept a restauraut for two years, then went to Jerusalem, where he stayed for six weeks, then returned to Paris. There Mr. Chartin received soure recommendations for New York. He left Frauce on the steamer William, aud on reaching New York took a position for three months at Delmonico's, tbe cele- brated restauranteur. Afterwards he took a position with Mr. Frank Page, Congressman, at Washington, where he filled many times the glasses of many of our prominent men and foreign representatives with whom be could converse in French. He left Central City, Colorado, for San Francisco, where he arrived Angust 1, 1869.


In 1871 Mr. Chartin came to this county, where he is now engaged in farming and hotel business. He owns 300 acres of land of average good quality; also, a good orchard of a variety of fruits. His pleasure resort at Blue Lakes is described else- where.


In 1858 he married Miss Antoinelle Deschatre, a native of France.


DAVID R. ROBERTS.


David R. Roberts, the owner of "Robert's Hotel " in Fern- dale, was born December 8, 1838, in Wales, England. When twelve years of age, his parents, who were respectable farm- ers, moved to Wisconsin, where they setthel near Racine. Ten years after, in 1860, young Roberts joined an ox train going across the continent and arrived after a five months' journey, at Chico, Butte County, California.


Being brought up a farmer, he engaged in that worthy ocen- pation first. He stayed in Cbico four years, then moved to this county, where he at first tried boring for oil, near Petro- lia, which proved a failure"; so he moved to Ferndale in 1865, where he now resides. There he farmed at first, then started a livery and feed stable; in 1870 he opened the Ferndale Hotel, and after a successful run of two years, he leased it and attended to his stable only. In 1879 he built the "Robert's Hall, "and purchased a half-interest in the " Enterprise Saw- mill," situated on Salt River, below Port Kenyon.


The hotel is well known, and is one of the best in the county. The host, J. W. McCollum, is always accommodating to his guests. He keeps two horses and a carriage at their disposal.


Mr. Roberts married Miss Mary Blanche Francis, of Nevada City, California, on March 17, 1868, but the following year she was taken away from ber grief-stricken husband. After being a widower for two years, be married Miss Mary Pugh, a native of Wales, England. They have a son named Ellis Roberts and a daughter named Annie Roberts.


SALMON BROWN.


Near Bridgeville, we find the pleasantly situated home andlarge sheep ranch of Mr. Salmon Brown. The ranch consists of 3,340 acres, which is of a very good quality, and would produce large crops if Mr. Brown would use it for that purpose. As it is, it returns a large average of oats, and affords splendid grazing for Mr. Brown's 2,000 sheep and ten horses, and other stock. The county seat is within fifty miles, and water communication within forty miles.


Mr. Brown is a native of Hudson, Summit County, Ohio, where he was born October 2, 1830. He lived on a farm until eighteen years of age, when he started life on his own hook; going to Kansas, and from there to New York State, where he arrived in 1855, and married in 1857, bis wife being a native of Essex County. . Her maiden name was Miss Abbie C. Hinkley. Mr. Brown and wife stayed in her native county until 1863, when he bad a longing to go West again, and con- sequently went to Iowa, from which State he, in 1864, emi- grated to California. The trip overland per ox-team, was rather rough. They were six months coming, and twice in peril of losing their lives; first through outlaws, who gave them a hard chase, and the second time through a band of 250 Sioux, who fortunately did not attack them.


Mr. Brown and family arrived in Red Bluff, October 1, 1864, where he went to sheep raising with good success, but not being


HOME OF A. GILMORE, COR 7. TH.AND O. STS, EUREKA,CAL.


RESIDENCE OF J.K.DOLLISON, CORNER D.& FIFTH. STRS. EUREKA,CALIFORNIA.


RESIDENCE OF CHAS.W. LONG.COR.OF 6'"AND E. STS, EUREKA, CAL.


RESIDENCE OF RICHARD SWEASEY COR,10 TH.& C, STS. EUREKA, CAL.


189


BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF CITIZENS.


satisfied with the location there, he again moved to Tehama County, and in 1870, moved to his present home and farmn. Mr. Brown's family consists of seven children, two boys and five girls, whose names are respectively : Minnie E .. Inez, John, Edward, Ethel, Agnes S., and Nellie Brown.


THOMAS STEWART.


On the north bank of the Bear River, a short distance fromn Capetown Post-office in this county, we find a pleasant home and property which belongs to Thomas Stewart, who has taken great pains in beautifying the same.


As Mr. Stewart is kind and entertaining towards strangers, wo took advantage of his hospitality, aud, after viowing his ların, which is divided by the river, and contains 619 acres of splendid grazing land, sat down in order to listen to the story of his life, etc., which we will give here for the benefit of the citizens of his county.


Mr. Stewart is a native of Edinburgh, Scotland, where he was born Decomber 9, 1827. At the early age of six years he went to sea as a cabin boy with his unele, and at tho ago of eighteon he ran away from the ship whilo in Quebec, and went as a sailor before the mast for three years on the great lakes. Afterwards he worked for sovon years in the coal mines of Illi- nois, then went to Cape Girardeau County, Missouri, where he stayed two years, and where he was financially ruined in 1862 by the soldiers of Jeff. Thomson.


Being compelled to start life anew, he set out from Illinois with an ox and horse train across the plains, via South Pass, for California, but speut the winter of 1863-64 in Ogden. In the spring of 1864 he continued on toward California, where he arrived at Hydesville in November, 1864,


Mr. Stewart has followed the business of dairying since he arrived in California, and now owns 100 fine dairy cows and twenty-five youug cattle and nine horses. On his farm he has an orchard of 125 trees, bearing apples, pears, peaches, cherries and plums, He is a self-made man and has secu a great many hardships, such as only a sailor and frontiersman can see.


He has had many narrow escapes. At one time he nnder- took to rid the county of grizzly bears, being engaged for that job by Mr. Russ nearly two years ; he slew a great many, and found them to be tough enstomers; into one of them he had to fire thirty-two bullets before he brought him down; it proved to be a very fat specimen.


Mr. Stewart married Miss Eliza Moorhead, a native of Ohio in 1852, and has ono chill, a girl named Emma E. Stewart.


ERNEST W. DENT.


In no other county of California have we met with as many men who have traveled over the greater part of the world, as in Humboldt County. Among them we may mention Ernest Win. Dent, who can justly be proud of his experiences in life. He was born in Calentta, East India, in 1857. After receiv-


ing a liberal education, he served in a tea broker's othce, in London, England, for nearly one year and a half At the age of eigliteeu he left England for China, where he procured a position with the firm of Dodd & Co., of Amoy, Formosa. He left after three and a half years' service and went to Shanghai, where he worked during tea season. In 1875 he left Shanghai for Ceylon, where he was Assistant Superintendent of the celebra- ted Blackwater tea and coffee estate; which position he had to leave in 1879 ou account of ill-health, the climate not agree- ing with him.


He left Ceylon and came directly to Eureka, vie Halifax and Now York, making the whole trip in four months, and arriving in Eurcka, April 26, 1880. He then went to his pres- ent home, which is situated within one and a half miles of Ferndale, and within twenty miles of the county seat. Ile owns 180 acres of land, and occupies himself at present with dairying, owning twenty-five head of cattle, two hogs and eight horses.


Mr. Dent thinks of experimenting as soon as he can get the seeds, to see if he cannot grow tra in this county. He under. stands the business thoroughly, and we wish he may succeed and give this county the honor of being the first in the United States which produces this valuable article.


Mr. Dent was married to Miss Laura Ferrill, of this county , in 1881.


CHARLES A. DOE.


A short distance from Petrolia is situated the residence and farm of Mr. Chas. A. Doc. It is on the west side of the north fork of the Mattole River (see illustration). The location is very healthy, free from extreme lieat or cold.


The farm consists of 1,070 acres of land, forty of which are cultivated and the rest used as pasture land for Mr. Doc's stock, consisting of some 100 licad of cattle, fifteen horses and two mules. There is also an orchard of 100 fruit-bearing trees on the land, part apples the rest in pears.


Mr. Doe, who has had a good many ups and downs in life at various occupations which we will describe further on, is now peacefully settled and surrounded by an interesting family of five children named: Charles P., Annie L., Susan N., Blan- die M., and Nelson H. Doe.


His history is as follows: Born on a farin near Windsor, Kennebce County, Mainc, January 29, 1839; he left it when fourteen years of age; worked for two and a half years at the tanner's trade, and after finishing his apprenticeship went to Mobile, where he assisted in getting ont a raft of cypress for that town.


In 1858 he went as a sailor, but after arriving in Portland, Maine, got tired of a sailor's life and made arrangements to go to California. He made the trip to San Francisco via Panama in twenty-four days. It was an unpleasant trip; tbree pas- sengers died on the way.


190


BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF CITIZENS.


At. first Mr. Doc went into the lumber business, and soon after weut to Dogtown, Butte County, then to Chieo Ridge, where he built and run a saw-mill for one and a half years, when it was destroyed by fire. He then left for his old honie in Maine, December, 1861, where he married a year later, Miss Hannah S. Noyes, with whom he inoved to Pennsylvania, where lie located on Oil Creek, near Titusville.


In 1864 Mr. Doc set out for California again, and arriving in San Francisco, he made his home in Oakland for one year and then came to Humboldt County, where he now resides. Ho tried to bore for oil near Petrolia at first, but when he did not even get water after boring 1,400 fect deep, he gave up the attempt and went into stock-raising and farming, which provedl to be a profitable undertaking.


HORACE S. CASE.


Mr. Horace S. Case, whose liome is also illustrateil in this book, is another of the so-called self-made men of the coast. He says: Since thirteen years of age 1 was obliged to " hew iny own timber ;" but now have succeeded in possessing inyself of a fine home and considerable of this world's goods.


Mr. Caso's house and farm is located within a short distance of Ilydesville. The house is sheltered from the winds of winter and is built on a spot one mile uortheast of the town, which for its rural beauty may he called "romantic." The farm con- sists of 660 acres of land of the best soil in the county. It will produce most any crop a man may desire. It averages sixty bushels of oats per acre and fifty tons of beets; the ground is mostly black loam, partially level and partially hilly.


As Mr. Case is engaged in dairying he owns a considerable unmber of cattle and stock, amongst which we find 55 fine dairy cows, 600 sheep, 7 horses, and 2 hogs. He also owns an orchard of 400 fruit trees, apples, pears, plums, cherries, prunes, and all kinds of small fruit for table use. He has sneh confidence in the quality of his land that he tried raising alfalfa. He may be said to have introduced alfalfa into the county, of which he has now five acres growing nicely.


Mr. Case was born in Pennsylvania, November 5, 1832. Being brought up on a farm he followed farming until 1852, when he came per pack-train vic St. Joe, Missouri, and South Pass to California, making the trip in eighty-two days, and arriving at Yreka, Siskiyou County.


He commenced his career in this country with inining, which he followed until 1854, but not having much suc- cess, lie the same year ran a pack-train from Crescent City back into the mountains and diverse other places, going as far as British Columbia sometimes. In 1863 he engaged in mining aud merchandising at Canyon City, Oregon, where he married Mrs. Eleanor C. Cooper, in 1864. She is a native of Canter- bury, England. They bave one son named George W. Cooper also a daughter named Eleanor Case.




Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.